New Beer Friday - November 30 Edition

Mitten Brewing Co. Pesto Pizza

By Chris Siciliano

Before we get to naming the latest and greatest beers to arrive at Siciliano’s, I want to first express a sincere thank you to Chris Andrus & Max Trierweiler, founders, brewers, and proprietors of the newly opened Mitten Brewing Co.

Last Friday, after my wife and I had a few beers and lunch in their new taproom, Max and Chris treated us to a tour of the small brewing operation, the pizza kitchen, and then the rest of the 100+ year old building.

I’ll save my extended and overall impression of the Leonard Street nano-brewery for a stand-alone Tuesday Review. I will say now that the pizza is excellent, the service is friendly, and, most important, the beers are solid, well on their way to becoming something special.

Speaking of special beer, this Saturday, December 1, representatives from Vivant will be conducting an in-store tasting at Siciliano's from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Stop by and see us!

New (and Returning) Beers

• Harpoon El Triunfo Coffee Porter, $6.69/22oz - "Caramel and dark chocolate accentuate the bittersweet notes of the locally roasted coffee beans. The end result is a balanced beer with a sweet, smooth body complemented by the delicate flavors and aromas of fair trade Mexican coffee (source).
• Boulder Beer Co. Killer Penguin Barley Wine, $3.89/12oz, 8.59/22oz bottles - "Traditional winter seasonals are warm and comforting - not this Penguin. Diving in at around 10 percent alcohol by volume, Killer Penguin uses over twice the malt as other winter beers, and is aged for over 6 months to perfect the condition and flavor of this barleywine style ale. This beer doesn't ferment, it hibernates, and wakes up with an attitude" (source).
• Founders Furniture City, $6.99/22oz - "Furniture City Stock Ale is a malt-forward beer brewed with seven different varieties of malts and grains. Our version of this historic style of beer pours a deep mahogany and is smooth and easy to drink" (source).
• Bell's This One Goes to 11, $3.09/12oz - "This One Goes to 11 Ale opens with bright, juicy aromas such as tropical fruits & ripe cherries, largely derived from massive kettle & dry-hop additions of Southern Hemisphere hop varieties such as Galaxy, Motueka, and Summer. The citrus & resinous pine notes of the Pacific Northwest hop family are also well represented, making their presence known through Simcoe, Citra, and the newly released Mosaic varietal, just to name a few. A wide range of specialty malts anchor the hops to this IMPERIAL RED ALE, contrasting the assertive bitterness & juicy aromatics with a robust, toasty depth of flavor. Fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast, This One Goes to 11 Ale finishes with a lingering warmth" (source).
• Short's  Cup a Joe, $2.19/12oz - "A brew uniquely different from most coffee stouts, we cram Higher Grounds roasted fair trade espresso beans into every facet of the brewing process. Prominent aromatics of malt, espresso, and cocoa are abundant and create a flavor robust with big malt characters fused with cream and coffee. The perfect morning night capper" (source).
• Malheur Brut Reserve - $28.69/750ml - "Malheur Brut Reserve is suitable as an aperitif, dessert or digestive: strong but silky-smooth, with a powerful, dry aftertaste, very aromatic, velvety peach and rose, apricot, vanilla, orange, lemon rind, strongly bound and quietly controlled" (source).
• Dogfish Head Hellhound, $14.39/22oz - "2011 marks the 100th birthday of Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson who, according to legend, sold his soul down at the crossroads in a midnight bargain and changed music forever. Working again with our friends at Sony Legacy (yup, the same folks we did our Miles Davis-inspired Bitches Brew with), Dogfish Head pays tribute to this blues legend by gettin the hellhounds off his trail and into this finely-crafted ale. Hellhound is a super-hoppy ale that hits 100 IBUs in the brewhouse, 10.0 ABV, 10.0 SRM in color, and dry-hopped with 100% centennial hops at a rate of 100 kilos per 100 barrel brew-length. Can you tell we at Dogfish are stoked for this mighty musical centennial? To accentuate and magnify the citrusy notes of the centennial hops (and as a shout out to Robert Johnsons mentor Blind Lemon Jefferson) we add dried lemon peel and flesh to the whirlpool" (source).
• Point St. Benedicts Winter Ale, $1.19/12oz - "St. Benedict of Nursia lived in the late 5th to early 6th centuries. Legend has it while living in solitude, he was befriended by a raven that later saved his life. He is most remembered for writing the Rule of St. Benedict that, among other virtues, teaches humility. Inspired by this Rule we humbly offer St. Benedict’s Winter Ale, a hand-crafted ale using generous amounts of dark roasted malts and the finest noble hops for a robust warming flavor" (source).
• New Belgium Biere de Garde collaboration with Vivant,  Price TBA*/22oz - "Famous in Michigan for farmhouse ales, our friends at Brewery Viviant introduced us to their biere de garde ale yeast strain. From there, we imagined a slightly tart, intentionally dry beer with hints of bergamot citrus that pairs perfectly with French cheeses" (source).

Picture of the Week

John's version of the Heisman

Cheers!

*As of early Friday morning, when New Beer Friday went to press, the New Belgium Beire de Garde had not yet been delivered to the store; therefore, no price was available. Please contact Siciliano's for pricing updates.

Doug's Deals 2.0 - Beautiful Deals for the Holiday Season

Doug, dealing

By Doug Dorda

'Tis the season for savings here at Siciliano's, and we are working to provide the best possible deals to those of you looking to scratch beginner wine- and beer-makers off your list.

In the interest of providing you, the shopper, with the quickest means of gathering all equipment necessary for someone looking to make their first batch of beer or wine, we present to you the second round of Doug's Deals. Prices will become effective December 1st.

Beer-Making Equipment Deals – Each of these deals will provide you with one version of our beer-making equipment kits as well as two cases of clear 12-oz amber bottles, a wine thief, and a copy of How to Brew by John Palmer. Aside from the ingredients and, in one case, a brew pot, these deals include just about everything a first-time brewer is going to need.

• Doug's Deluxe Equipment Kit Deal, $135 – With this package, you get the Brewers Best deluxe equipment kit. You will also receive two cases of 12-oz amber bottles, the wine thief, and a copy of How to Brew by John Palmer. These items, sold separately, are a combined value of $158, a total savings of $23. Please note that the deluxe kit does not contain a brew pot; therefore, this is the deal to consider for those who may already have a 5-gallon kettle.
• Doug's Beast of A Deal, $165 – With this package, you get the Brewers Beast equipment kit, as well as the two cases of bottles, wine thief and book. This kit contains everything that can be found in the deluxe kit, but also boasts a 5-gallon stainless steel brew pot by Polar Ware, a test tube, and a vial of IO-San sanitizer. For those who need to purchase the complete package, look no further than this deal. Again, the total savings add up to $23, as the separate cost amounts to $188. 

Wine Making Equipment Deal – It is important to note that the wine-making deal varies significantly from the beer-making deal. The least of the reasons behind that being there is no boil necessary for wine making so a pot is of no concern.

• Doug's Wine-Making Deal – For only $130, you get the Vitners Best Wine-Making equipment kit, two cases of 750-ml green Bordeaux wine bottles, and an auxiliary 6-gallon glass carboy. The total cost for the items purchased separately would be $150; that's a savings of $20!

Kegging Kits – Know a beer maker that is looking forward to getting into kegging? This year we have thrown our beginners kegging kits into the holiday fray. The kit includes one 5-lb CO2 tank, a dual-gauge regulator, a new or reconditioned 5-gallon Cornelius keg, a cobra tap, disconnects, hose clamps, and correct lengths of tubing required for liquid and gas distribution.

• Kegging Kit Deal – The kit with a used keg will be offered at $199, down from $225. The kit with a new keg will be offered at $235, down from $275. Note that the CO2 tank that comes in the kit is not full – pending availability, you may pay an additional $17 on top of the kit price to include a full CO2 tank.

For those of you that simply can not decide on a gift for that beer or wine lover in your life, we also offer Siciliano's gift cards, which are available in any increment you desire. The cards are good for any of the items that we offer in the store. We wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.

If you have any questions concerning the deal pricing, or any questions about the equipment itself, please give us a call at 615-453-9674.

*All deals listed above are designed to be comprehensive packages for equipment only; ingredients will be sold separately. All equipment listed is also available for purchase separately. You do not have to purchase a full deal if you do not wish.

Tuesday Review: Amore Tratorria Italiana

Gnocchi

By Steve Siciliano

Some of my most cherished childhood memories are of the times I sat at my grandmother’s kitchen table watching her combine a steaming pile of riced potatoes with raw eggs and flour. She would then knead the doughy mixture on a massive wooden cutting board, hand-roll pieces of the heavy lump into long strips, and then finally cut those into dozens of delicate little potato dumplings called gnocchi. [See video below for correct pronunciation.]

Gnocchi is a rustic and simple Italian dish that is frustratingly difficult to make properly. Add too much flour and you get something more akin to lead ingots than delicate, succulent, potato based pillows. Too little flour and the dumplings transform into a runny mess in the boil. But if the ingredients are combined in just the right proportions the result is exquisite culinary alchemy. Although Grandmother Fulvi never measured ingredients, her gnocchi always turned out perfectly.

Today whenever I see gnocchi listed on an Italian restaurant’s menu I can’t resist choosing it as an entrée. Most times this ends in disappointment. One time I chose the dish at a ubiquitous national chain. “I’ll have the gnocchi,” I told the gum-smacking waitress.

“The what?”

“The gnocchi,” I said again.

“The what?”

I pointed to a spot on the menu.

“Oh,” she said. “The nacky.” I should have known better.

This past Sunday, Barb and I went to Amore Tratorria Italiana, a relatively new restaurant housed in an old building on Alpine Avenue just south of Six Mile Road. “Doesn’t look too promising,” my wife said after we parked and were walking up to the front door.

“I’ve heard a lot of good things,” I replied.

When inside, we were immediately greeted by a smiling hostess and promptly seated. Seconds later our server appeared with a basket of focaccia bread and a cruet of olive oil. I half listened while she described the specials, choosing instead to focus my attention on the appetizers and the exclusively Italian wine list. Barb suggested we try the cozze, “mussels cooked in white wine with garlic, tomatoes, lemon, parsley and a touch of anisette” ($9.00). I chose a bottle of L’Astore Primitivo ($36.00) to accompany our meal and told our server that we would look at the entrees after the appetizer.

While waiting for the wine and mussels we looked around the room. An eclectic assortment of artwork adorns the rustic-red and gold painted walls. Booths line two of those walls and tables are spaced nicely around the mostly carpeted room that has a wood section in the middle appearing to have once served as a dance floor. On each table and booth was a vase holding a single—and real—red rose.

When our server appeared with our wine she properly presented the bottle, opened it, and then poured the wine through an aerator into a decanter. A nice touch. A heaping bowl of mussels were then delivered to the table. Since the description on the menu indicated that the mussels were prepared in white wine we were surprised when they came out swimming in a red sauce. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The sauce, with its subtle anise flavor, was excellent and we soaked up every drop with the focaccia bread.

While we were finishing the appetizer I turned my attention to the entrees and it was then that I saw that one of the offerings was gnocchi.

“How’s the gnocchi?” I asked the server.

“It’s very good.”

“Is it frozen?”

“Of course not,” she replied. “The kitchen makes it fresh from scratch every day.”

The gnocchi ($10.00) turned out to be very good indeed. Diners have the option of ordering the dish with a four cheese, Bolognese, vodka or pesto cream sauce. I chose the Bolognese. For her entrée Barb chose the involtini, thinly sliced breaded eggplant stuffed with a four cheese blend, baked with tomato sauce and cheese ($15.00). It too was very good.

I give Amore Tratorria Italiana an emphatic thumbs up. The restaurant sources many ingredients locally and it is evident, as stated on the website, that the owners are committed to providing an experience and not simply a meal. Well prepared food, excellent service, good prices and an extensive wine list all combine to create that experience. I have no doubts that we’ll soon be back for another.

Amore Tratorria Italiana is located at 5080 Alpine Avenue, Comstock Park, Michigan, 616-785-5344.

Don't Take Stock, Make It

The method and importance of reintroducing homemade stock into everyday kitchen practices.

By Wes Eaton

Stock is a simple, yet too often overlooked part of kitchen practices. Meaty bones, carcasses, grizzle, and trimmings are not only left out of much of the packaged products now available across America, but when they are brought home, they are often neglected and ultimately wasted. Why is this so? The decline of stock-making practices results from both structural changes, as in changing retail and meat packing practices that prioritize individual, boneless/skinless fillets, as well as from a shrinking understanding and appreciation for both the practice and purpose for making stock in the home.

What I want to do here is begin to point us toward ways of addressing the latter of these issues, the knowledge gap in stock-making practice and purpose. To do so, I want to emphasize the simplicity of making stock, and arranging a stock making practice that allows us to truly make this an “everyday” (or, more likely “every-week”) kitchen practice. I also want to draw upon two of may favorite sources of kitchen lore and science, Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions, and Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking, and share a bit about the ways stock nourishes, protects, and heals our bodies.

Falling somewhere between myth and science, homemade stock, concocted from fish, poultry, and ruminant bones, grew infamous for its nourishing, health benefits well before the scientific, industrial, and accompanying medical revolutions. Today, however, retail stock, and its sisters restaurant broth and soup in general, are demonized as MSG- and salt-laden health risks. Yet in reality, stock is nourishing in at least three important ways, as pointed out by Fallon. First, meat stock contain the minerals, such as calcium and potassium, from bone, cartilage, marrow, as well as vegetables. The slow process of simmering, and the addition of a small amount of acidic vinegar, help draw this out. Second, the gelatin which the simmer isomerizes into solution, has the special property of attracting liquids, making foods easier to digest. Moreover, the gelatin, in combination with the other ingredients in stock, heals the mucus lining of the small intestine, which is regularly inflamed and damaged by other things in our modern diets.

Finally we come to taste and cooking qualities. Stock, which is best stewed slowly on stove top throughout a blustery day, adds exquisite depth to soups, stews, and other dishes like risotto and quinoa. Stocks can be clear or cloudy, depending on cooking processes, but all stocks carry their concentrated ingredients in a full bodied, gelatinous, and rich form, perfect for thickening sauces.

To make stock, McGee instructs us to begin with cold water, which allows the proteins of the meat to heat slowly, and therefore fall out of solution, allowing the cook to skim off extra foam and particulates, leaving a generally clear liquid if the boil is not too vigorous. My stock, however, is often cloudy. What should be added to stock? Remember, the idea is to dissolve, through simmering, base components of vegetables, meats, and bones, into a homogenous liquid. There are generally four categories of stock: beef, chicken, fish, and vegetable. McGee points out that the meat itself contributes the depths of flavor, while the bones and skin provide the gelatin; so a bit of both seems prudent.

There are countless arrangements of recipes, so here I want to share my particular practice of making chicken stock. I use the word practice to emphasize that this is more than a recipe, and more than simply a procedure, but rather, as a household practice, chicken stock is part of our family’s routine. First you need a bird, or more specifically, a carcass. Being the holidays, there ought be plenty of turkeys, for instance, to go around. Once or twice a month we purchase a broiler from Rakowski Farms and use this meat and stock throughout many of the weeks’ meals.

Once the bird is cooked, and we roast a whole chicken, and the meat largely removed, situate the carcass on the bottom of a stock pot—arguably the most important tool in the kitchen, next to fire. Per McGee, add cold water. How much depends on the size of the bird, but at least halfway. Heat the mixture to a boil and skim off coagulated proteins before adding additional ingredients. These ought to include, at the least, a couple tablespoons of vinegar or wine to help break things down (this will cook off), carrots, celery, and onions. For spices, leave out the salt. This way you can always salt your ensuing recipes to taste. Instead, add a few bay leaves, black peppercorns, fresh parsley, fresh or dried sage, and a spring of fresh thyme. Continue to simmer, uncovered, all day. Use your discretion, but the longer the better. If you reduce the volume too much, you are producing fumet or demi-glaze that can later, however, be reconstituted with water. 

When you are satisfied with your stock, it's time to prepare it for storage (if you are not using immediately for the split pea soup recipe I give below). To do this, pour the contents of the stock pot through a colander into a large mixing bowl or other storage container to cool. I recommend utilizing the back porch so as not to warm your fridge. Once chilled, you will notice two things. First, the fat will have risen and hardened on top. You can scrape this off and discard, or cook with it if you are using duck. Second, in this cooled state, the stock will resemble straw-colored jello, thickened from the gelatin. To store, I recommend scooping into gallon freezer bags and flattening these on their sides for easy stacking, or keeping in the fridge if you plan to cook within the week. Frozen stock keeps for months, so mark your containers with dates and rotate. Keeping stock on hand will help you make this into a part of your own cooking and eating routine.

Chicken Stock 

• One or more chicken, turkey, or game bird carcasses, trimmed of fat but heavy on skin and trimmings
• Celery, carrots, onions, scrubbed and coarsely chopped
• Bay leaves, peppercorns, fresh or dried sage, fresh thyme, fresh parsley
• Cold water at least half way up the pot 

Split Pea Soup 

• 2 tablespoons butter
• Large finely chopped onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 7 cups chicken stock
• Large smoked ham hock
• 1 slice of smoked pork/ham
• 1 pound split green peas
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• Bay leaves
• 2 carrots, peel and cubed
• 1 celery rib, cubed
• Black pepper 

In a dutch oven (preferably cast iron), warm the butter, saute the onions and then add garlic and cook for no more than an additional minute while stirring. Next, add remaining ingredients, but leave out the carrots and celery. Raise to a boil, then simmer 45 minutes until peas are tender, but not mush. Next, remove the pork steak, and using a fork, shred and store this in a tupperware to keep from drying out. Add the celery and carrots. Cook for additional 30 minutes then remove the bone, bay leaves, and sprigs, and add back in the shredded meat. Season with salt and pepper if need be.

New Beer Friday - November 23 Edition

Great Lakes Blackout Stout,
$3.29/12oz (4-btl limit)

By Chris Siciliano

In a development that shocked no one, a total of zero Siciliano’s customers camped in tents outside the store last night in an effort to get the jump on competing shoppers. This despite the fact that for the first time ever, the boss has decided to recognize Black Friday by putting select merchandise on sale—specifically, our homebrew and winemaking equipment kits (read the full details here).

In other news, we’re hoping that you all ate your fill of delicious turkey on Thanksgiving, but that you also have room today and all weekend to pile on (responsibly of course) some tasty new brews. Considering this week’s list of arrivals, you probably don’t want to start that diet just yet.

New (and Returning) Beer

• Short's Good Human, $1.99/12oz - "This Double Brown Ale, made with Carabrown Malt, was created to showcase one of Briess Malting Company’s new products. Although it was thought to be a onetime brewing event, this beer is now one of our most recent successes. Sweet malty aromas mingle with prominent toasted caramel and toffee flavors. This beer finishes pleasingly dry, with a bouquet of hops that have slight fruity qualities" (source).
• Great Lakes Blackout Stout, $3.29/12oz (4 bottle limit) - "A Russian Imperial Stout with a hearty malt body and bold hop flavor. Named after the infamous "Blackout of 2003" that left the northeastern United States in complete darkness, but resulted in old-fashioned neighborhood porch parties and fun" (source).
• Sixpoint Autumnation, $2.59/12oz - "Our first-ever seasonal can release arrives today, and it is brewed as a true celebration of this special moment in time. We made a trip out to Yakima Valley to the oldest continually operating hop farms in the country, and met with Patrick Smith, a 3rd generation hop grower. We selected and harvested 800 pounds of fresh “wet hops” (source).
• Abita Christmas Ale, $1.69/12oz - "Abita Christmas Ale is a festive dark ale crafted with special care. Each year, Abita changes the secret recipe a bit, making every annual batch unique. Have a sniff of this brew and you’ll quickly notice the holiday spices—nutmeg, clove, ginger, a touch of anise and some citrus notes fill the nose. Look also for a firm malt backbone to support all of these spices. Expect these elements to be less prominent in the flavor profile, with the nutty malts and fresh-baked bread notes taking center stage. A moderate bitterness rounds out the finish. Its nutty and spiced elements will partner nicely with a Cannoli or pumpkin pie dessert" (source).
• Harpoon Winter Warmer, $1.49/12oz - "Harpoon Winter Warmer is a full-bodied rich ale that uses a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg to achieve its spirited flavor. Perfect for the holidays!" (source).
• Southern Tier 2x Christmas, $1.99/12oz - "Double spiced ale brewed in the tradition of Swedish Glögg” (source).

Picture of the Week

Jacob and the Boss at Deer Camp, 2012
(Photo courtesy Steve Lewis)

Cheers!

Siciliano's Recommends - Gewurztraminer

By Steve Siciliano

What's Gewurz that could happen?

Like most Americans I look forward to a traditional Thanksgiving Day roast turkey and its accompaniment of tasty side dishes. When choosing the wine for this annual feast, the star of the show should, of course, be given the primary focus, but the supporting cast—the wine, for example—also warrants some consideration.

I like Thanksgiving wines that not only compliment the subtle flavors of the fowl but also pair well with the smorgasbord of flavors that are presented by the sauces, spuds, and veggies. A nice pinot noir, with its balanced acidity, bright fruit and low tannins is always my first choice. But when I'm in the mood for a white vino on Turkey Day, I'll always opt for a gewurztraminer.

While certainly not as popular as chardonnays, sauvignon blancs and rieslings, I feel that gewurztraminers, with their spicy flavors and floral aromas, are like side dishes in a glass. The following offerings from Siciliano's wine room both have a trace of sweetness and would make nice additions to Thursday's tummy-busting feast.

• 2011 Lone Birch Gewurztraminer, $9.99/750ml - "A delicate fruit-forward bouquet pear and melon. Light-bodied and crisp with lingering flavors of pear and citrus fruit" (source).
• 2008 Firestone Gewurztraminer, $13.59/750ml - "This is an ideal sipping wine, with alluring notes of lychee, mandarin orange and nutmeg on the nose. Citrus flavors of grapefruit and bergamot emerge on the mouth, which is enlivened by a compelling acid note. Quenching citrus notes balance nicely with hint of sweetness on a clean, refreshing finish" (source). 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Siciliano's Black Friday Deal

By Doug Dorda

Let's get right to brass tacks. Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, will send many of you out and about, determined to check every item off of your holiday shopping lists so that December may find you relaxed and well clear of chaotic last minute shopping. For those of you with prospective beer- or wine-makers on your lists, we have put together a few deals that may make your shopping just a little bit easier.

Our beer making equipment kits will be offered at a substantial discount all day Friday, and on Friday only. On top of the discount on equipment, we will also give you 10% off one ingredient kit of your choosing (this includes wine ingredient kits). Below is a listing of the equipment kits that we offer, as well as their special pricing.

The Brewers Beast Equipment Kit will be only $120 (normally $135). This kit is the best bang for your buck, bar none! It contains: 

• 1 5-gallon glass carboy
• 1 6.5-gallon primary fermentation bucket with lid
• 1 6.5-gallon bottling bucket with a spigot
• 1 5-gallon stainless steel polarware brewpot
• 1 4-oz bottle IO-san sanitizer
• 1 packet of easy clean no rinse cleanser
• 1 auto siphon
• 1 triple-scale hydrometer
• Siphon hosing with a shutoff clamp
• 1 liquid crystal thermometer
• 1 carboy brush
• 1 airlock
• 1 bottle filling wand
• 1 twin-lever capper
• 1 bottle brush
• 1 brew paddle
• 1 lab thermometer
• 1 10” test jar 

The Brewers Best Deluxe equipment kit will be only $85 (normally $105). This kit contains all the equipment that the Beast has to offer, less the boiling pot, IO-san, and test jar. For those that already have a brew pot, this may be the kit to consider.

Again, purchase an equipment kit on Friday (wine kits included) and receive 10% off any one ingredient kit of your choice. From all of us at Siciliano's, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, and an expedient shopping experience.

Note: Discounted prices will only be effective on Friday, November 23, 2012.

New Beer Friday - November 16 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

Honestly, we’re not sure what to expect in terms of NBF readership this week. It could be that many of our loyal readers have already lit out for the Great North Woods to attend that most primeval of Michigan traditions—Deer Camp. 

But if we somehow caught you in time, be sure to stop by Siciliano’s before you head north, because what’s Deer Camp without a mixed 12-pack of delicious craft suds and a fifth of fine Bourbon to pass around?

Of course, non-hunters this week will also find plenty of reason to visit Siciliano’s. Not only is the list of new arrivals impressive, but the Beaujolis Noveaus have begun to trickle in. First to arrive, Albert Bichot and Antonin Rodet Beaujelais Noveau, which retails for $9.99/750ml. We suggest you check it out.

New (and Returning) Beer

• Stone Russian Imperial Stout, $7.59/22 oz - "Intensely aromatic (notes of anise, black currants, coffee, roastiness and alcohol) and heavy on the palate...expect this mysterious brew to pour like used motor oil and taste even heavier! Serve at 55 degrees" (source).
• Anchor Christmas Ale, $2.39/12oz - "Our Special Ale, a dark, rich, heavily spiced ale with a recipe that changes with each passing year. - The enticing ruby color is topped by a dark creamy head that emits both malty and spicy aromas with ginger being a prominent one. The full body is matched with complex dry and spicy flavors that produce a nice favorable combination before finishing on the dry side" (source).
• Summit Extra Pale, $1.59/12oz - "Summit Extra Pale Ale is not a beer brewed only for beer snobs. Just the opposite. It’s a beer for everyone to enjoy: construction workers, stock brokers, farmers, sales people, clerks, teachers, lawyers, doctors, even other brewers. Its light bronze color and distinctly hoppy flavor have made it a favorite in St. Paul, Minneapolis and the rest of the Upper Midwest ever since we first brewed it back in 1986" (source).
• Summit Saga IPA, $1.59/12oz - "We’re proud to announce the new Summit Sága IPA, a decidedly different hop-forward brew due out in early May 2012. The beer has pronounced hop flavors and aromas of kiwi, passionfruit, apricot and gooseberry. Clean, assertive bitterness with balancing Pale malt characteristics. We hop it with the rare New Zealand Rakau hop along with Citra, Centennial and Amarillo. Named after the Norse Goddess of Poetry, who was the God Odin’s drinking companion... also, it was quite a saga to pick a name!" (source).
• Summit Winter Ale - $1.59/12oz - "This unique seasonal beer offers the warmth of an old English pub to help ward off the chill of a winter’s night. It has its origins in British neighborhood pubs where villagers would gather to shake off the damp cold of the bitter English winter. They’d share a pint or two of winter warmer ale by the fire, catch up on local gossip, and stay inside, where it was warm. We’ve brewed our version in the tradition of those winter ales, with a robust, full-bodied flavor and a tangy hint of spices" (source).
• Dupont Avec les Bon Voeux, $11.29/750ml - "'Les Bons Voeux' means best wishes, which is what Brasserie Dupont sends with this very special saison ale brewed only for the holidays. Redolently aromatic, rich and velvety, this is an ale to toast the season and welcome in the New Year!" (source).
• Jolly Pumpkin Fuego del Otono, $14.39/750ml - "Ale brewed with chestnut and spices. To catch a bit of soft radiance in each special bottle, we wait for fall colors to begin their bright and fleeting glow before brewing this wonderful ale under their autumn fire. Gentle amber malts lead smooth caramel notes, gently lapping against a shore of distant forgotten spice. A beer to contemplate and enjoy!" (source).
• Shiner Holiday Cheer, $1.49/12oz - "Happy Holidays from the 'Little Brewery' in Shiner, TX. We hope you enjoy your Shiner Cheer, an Old World Dunkelweizen brewed with Texas peaches and roasted pecans. The malty flavors of this dark wheat ale are enhanced through the use of malted barley and wheat. And Kräusening ensures a smoothnessthat makes the subtle peach and pecan flavors all the more satisfying. May your days be merry and bright and your Shiner be cold" (source).
• Dogfish Head Chicory Stout, $2.59/12oz - "Chicory Stout is a rich, dark beer made with a touch of roasted chicory, organic Mexican coffee, St. John's Wort, and licorice root. It is brewed with roast barley, crystal malt and oats and hopped just right with Glacier hops. We use fair trade Organic Mexican Coatepec beans roasted to our specifications by Notting Hill Coffee Roastery in Lewes, DE" (source).
• Stouthern Tier Krampus, $7.79/22oz - "St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, is a magical figure, the bringer of gifts and an icon of holiday spirit. Forgotten by most is his evil side kick and enforcer of ‘the list’. European tradition says while St. Nick is busy delivering presents to good little boys and girls, Krampus hands out punishments to the bad. A fanged, goat-horned bully, the Christmas Devil uses sticks and chains to beat the naughty children. Dark malts and aromatic hops create the diabolical spirit of this brew. It is finished with lager yeast and aged cold for no less than 30 days. This Imperial Helles Lager will warm even the darkest hearts. This season, replace the cookies with a bottle of Krampus. If he happens to pay a visit, toast to him with this devilish brew. Merry Kramp-mas to all, and to all a good pint!" (source).
• Southern Tier Old Man Winter, $1.69/12oz - "With the onset of winter, the brewer’s mind turns to providing warmth. For our winter seasonal, Southern Tier offers Old Man Winter Ale, a rich and complex amalgam of hops and barley that will put the feeling back in your toes and lift your spirits above the snow. Old Man Winter throws a deep and inviting hue with a thickness that clings to the glass and the warmth of an open flame. Because of its high alcohol content, Old Man Winter is a heady brew that encourages sipping and pondering its essential richness. Drink it fresh now, or cellar some bottles to see how this old man becomes wiser with age" (source).
• Rogue Santas Private Reserve, $2.59/12oz - "Rogue’s annual holiday offering, Santa’s Private Reserve, is a variation of the classic Saint Rogue Red, but with double the hops--including Chinook, and Centennial, and a mystery hop called Rudolph by head brewer John "more hops" Maier! This holiday elixir is brewed with two-row Harrington, Klages and Munich malts, along with Hugh Baird 30-37, Carastan 13-17, and Crystal 70-80 malts, plus free range coastal water and proprietary top-fermenting Pacman yeast" (source).
• Crankers Brewing Bulldog Red, $1.79/12oz - "Our Irish Red pours a deep mahogany and supports a robust off-white foam. Featuring rich, complex caramel aromas with a touch of dark sugar, there is just enough hop character to balance this easy drinker" (source).
• Crankers Brewing Professor IPA, $1.99/12oz - "A West Coast style IPA, the Professor is golden and sports a large frothy white head. Hops leap out of the glass, citrus, apricot, and herbal notes define this brew. There is enough malty body to keep you coming back for more" (source).
• Shorts Chocolate Wheat, $1.69/12oz - "Wheat stout ale. Chocolate malt, wheat malt and carefully chosen specialty grains provide deep, black wort balanced with the Nugget and Fuggle hop varieties. Top fermenting ale yeast completes this beer resulting in full flavored, full bodied toasted/burnt chocolate wheat ale" (source).
• Heavy Seas Winter Storm, $1.99/12oz - "Our winter warmer ale, brewed with copious helpings of English malts and US and English hops, a ruddy hued "Imperial ESB" in style. Full malty flavors dancing with powerful hop aromas and a lingering, firm hop bitterness. Seasonally available from mid October to February" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Narwhal, $2.49/12oz - "Narwhal Imperial Stout is he latest beer in Sierra Nevada’s High Altitude Series. This malt-forward monster is bold – with notes of baker’s cocoa, molasses, and dark roasted coffee. This massive imperial stout is incredibly complex, rich, and intense and will develop in the bottle for years to come" (source).
• North Peak Hoodoo, $2.69/12oz - "North Peak Hoodoo Midwest Wet Hop IPA is the first of it’s kind. Brewed with fresh from the farm Michigan hops for exceptional flavor. Hoodoo is hops from start to finish with a little malt in the middle, just enough to keep Hoodoo from going Voodoo on you. not to worry - pretty much nothing but hops" (source).
• Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale, $2.19/12oz - "This beer’s name sums up the ideas of bringing the best together to celebrate. It is filled with seasonal flavors from generous amounts of toasted and caramel malts, mixed with equally generous amounts of honey, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. We feel it is the perfect libation, filled with flavors of the season" (source).
• Saugatuck Double Diamond Black, $2.59/12oz - "Double Hopped American Black Ale" (source).
• Dark Horse Too Cream Stout, $2.09/12oz - "This beer is made with milk sugar (lactose) which gives this beer a nice creamy mouth feel which mingles with hints of chocolate and roasty flavors" (source).

Picture of the Week

Proud Lake Recreation Area, Commerce Township, MI

Cheers!

Tuesday Review: Stellar Organics Pinotage

Stellar Organics Pinotage, $10.49/750ml

By Doug Dorda

It is long time that I have sought to become more familiar with the wine selection that we offer at Siciliano's. Indeed, I admit, I am the person at the store that will often stare blankly into the face of someone who asks for a wine suggestion while fielding their request to Sarah (our resident wine guru). In accordance with my own wishes, then, and to further better myself within the realm of viticulture, I have taken it upon myself to become increasingly educated about the commercially available wines we have to offer, as well as their historical and regional significance. It is my hope that you will take this journey toward education with me.

Very recently a group of friends and I held a harvest dinner in which we showcased the bounty or flora and fauna that the fall season has to offer. “Perfect!” I thought to myself, what a way to begin the arduous journey of understanding the wines that had so eluded me in the past. After a time of dutiful research, I selected the Pinotage from Stellar Organics winery as it seemed a perfect pairing to the various dishes that would be served. According to Stellar, the wine pours an intense plum red color that extends to the edge of the glass. Cherries and vanilla may be found on the nose, and they will carry through as taste on the palate. The slightly wooded wine would then offer hints of spice and robust tannins that would add to its complexity. You might imagine my salivary glands going wild as I imagined enjoying such a beverage while at the same time enjoying a savory Turdeken and a vast wealth of hearty fall offerings.

The time had come for my own assessment. The wine indeed pours a haughty plum red that elicits memories of deep sunsets in the fading moments of twilight. The nose is a symphony of rose, black currant and middle eastern spices that are offset gently by a touch of woodsy vanilla. The taste is one that has captivated my mind since first sip. Tannins clutch at the tongue for a moment or two, then slowly let slip the dogs of dried fruit. Cranberry, cherry, and raisin coat the mid palate while a softness is delivered from the wood. The whole of the effect is like biting into a gourmet torte that is serves alongside a cappuccino – there is almost a lingering roasted nuttiness that accompanies the off/dry finish. This wine paired beautifully with savory foul, quinoa gorgonzola dishes, and every helping of pumpkin desert that could fit onto a plate. It retails at Siciliano's for $10.49.

A quick delve into the history of the particular grape varietal reveals that the grape was originally grown as an alternative to the pinot noir grape which did not show favorable growth in South African climates. In fact, pinotage owes its lineage to pinot noir itself. Since its inception in 1925, the grape has gown to become a well respected and award-winning base for wine that is growing in large favor throughout the wine drinking masses. Personally, I can not wait to try all further offerings that I may come across in the future.

A note on Stellar Organics: This is a company that will truly appeal to all who seek out products that are ethically produced, and organic to boot. I will not attempt to tell you their story when they do such a fine job of telling it themselves. They also offer a nice compliment of sulphite free wines!

Turducken

New Beer Friday - November 9 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

Fans of New Belgium will be pleased to hear that a few of the brewery's über-famous beers are finally available in Michigan in 12-ounce bottles. Previously available only in the larger 22-ounce sizes, patrons can now purchase at Siciliano's Market the smaller versions of the Abbey, 1554, Ranger IPA, Tripple, and of course, the iconic Fat Tire.

Individual bottles retail at $2.69/12oz and a mix-sixer or two might just be the perfect thing to purchase and enjoy in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Why? To be honest, I don't know. I guess I just have turkey on the brain.

In other news, we hear tell that yet another West Michigan brewery is just about ready to open its doors. An early congrats to the gang at Rockford Brewing Company. We can't wait to get out there and sample a pint! 

New (and Returning) Beer

• Bells This One Goes to 11, $3.09/12oz (6 bottles/customer) - "This One Goes to 11 Ale opens with bright, juicy aromas such as tropical fruits & ripe cherries, largely derived from massive kettle & dry-hop additions of Southern Hemisphere hop varieties such as Galaxy, Motueka, and Summer. The citrus & resinous pine notes of the Pacific Northwest hop family are also well represented, making their presence known through Simcoe, Citra, and the newly released Mosaic varietal, just to name a few. A wide range of specialty malts anchor the hops to this IMPERIAL RED ALE, contrasting the assertive bitterness & juicy aromatics with a robust, toasty depth of flavor. Fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast, This One Goes to 11 Ale finishes with a lingering warmth" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Celebration, $1.59/12oz - "Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale represents a time honored tradition of brewing a special beer for the holiday season. There are generous portions of barley malts and fine whole hops of several varieties, creating a brew with a full, rich and hearty character" (source).
• Goose Island Christmas Ale, $2.39/12oz - "Specialty Belgian malts create a deep garnet color and a truly rich old European flavor in our classic Christmas Ale. And the generous amount of crystal hops adds that extra spicy aroma to your pint, perfect for a wintry night. Our Christmas Ale brings good tidings and joy to each Holiday Season. A two-time Gold Medal Winner in the World Beer Championships" (source).
• Goose Island Mild Winter, $1.69/12oz - "Toffee brown, medium-bodied, with a creamy head and an aroma of raisins and freshly baked dark bread. Mild Winter’s rich caramel malt and spicy rye flavors are sure to take the bite out of whatever Old Man Winter brews up for you this year" (source).
• Bells Oracle, $2.99/12oz (2 bottles/person) - "Our take on the West Coast-style Double India Pale Ale, The Oracle places hop intensity first & foremost, making only the slightest concession to malt & balance. The fireworks start with the floral aromatic punch of two separate dry-hop sessions with Amarillo and NZ Pacific Jade. Resinous, citrusy hop flavors mixed with aggressive bitterness from a massive kettle addition deliver on that aromatic promise" (source).
• Acoustic Mead Mapple Apple Bzzz, $3.69/12oz - Description not yet available.
• Great Lakes Christmas Ale, $2.39/12oz - "It has a cinnamon and ginger spice flavor, a rich copper color, and a medium body that will fit with any holiday meal" (source).
• Ommegang Duvel Rustica, $14.09/750ml - "A Belgian-style Golden Ale of 8.5% ABV brewed with fine pils malts and hopped with noble Styrian Golding hops from Slovenia" (source).
• Blue Point Winter Ale, $1.69/12oz - "Blue Point Brewing’s Winter Ale is a hearty and robust amber ale. Brewed to chase away the chill of a cool winter night. Made with Pale, Vienna, crystal and chocolate malt. This uncommon amber is only brewed during the cold months of the year. Winter Ale is an extremely popular seasonal specialty. Enjoy the tasty balance of malt and hops. Remember this special ale leaves with Winter" (source).
• Finch Brewing Fascist Pig, $7.89/22oz - "A deep red malt-forward ale brewed with plenty of caramel malts and a touch of rye, brewed and dry-hopped with Palisade and Zythos hops" (source).
• Coney Island bourbon Barrel Human Blockhead, $12.59/22oz - "This might be the most unique barrel aged lager you will find. Brewed like a barley wine but fermented as a lager then aged on fresh wet Buffalo Trace barrels for 5 months" (source).
• Stone Lukcy Bastard, $7.69/22oz - "Lukcy Basartd is a dry-hopped meeting-of-the-Bastards in a in-the-fermenter-blend of Arrogant Bastard Ale and Double Bastard Ale…with a perfect balance of the essence of OAKED Arrogant Bastard Ale. All in all, one awesome Bastard" (source).
• Stone Double Bastad,  $7.59/22oz - "This is a lacerative muther of a beer. The evil big brother of Arrogant Bastard Ale. It is strongly suggested you stay far, far away from this beer. Those foolish enough to venture close enough to taste will experience a punishingly unforgiving assault on the palate. ’Course there’s always the masochists" (source).
• Shorts Bludgeon Yer Eye PA, $1.99/12oz - "Incredibly floral green hop aromas jump out at you, the initial taste lends pleasant roasted flavors, followed by a wonderful bitter finish" (source).
• Dogfish Head My Antonia, $10.19/22oz - "This here beer is a lagerific departure for our ale-centric brewery. A marriage of old world tradition and new world innovation, My Antonia is brewed with pilsner malt and continually-hopped with a blend of Noble and West Coast hops" (source).
• Dogfish Head Theobroma, $14.39/22oz - "This beer is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras which revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilization to toast special occasions. the discovery of this beverage pushed back the earliest use of cocoa for human consumption more than 500 years to 1200 BC. As per the analysis, Dogfish head’s Theobroma (food of the gods) is brewed with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs, honey, chilies, and annatto (fragrant tree seeds)" (source).
• Samichlaus Helles, $4.39/12oz - "Samichlaus is brewed once a year on December 6, and is aged for 10 months before bottling. It is one of the rarest specialties in the world. Samichlaus may be aged in the bottle for many years to come, as older vintages become more complex. Brilliant deep amber, complex dry toasted malt nose and huge intensely sweet palate. The 2007 bottling is the first bottling since 1987" (source).

Picture of the Week

"Beer Good" at the Berkley Front in Berkley, MI

Cheers!

Great Lakes Brewing The Wright Pils | Tuesday Review

By Doug Dorda

Great Lakes The Wright Pils, $1.79/12oz

In a world that is inundated with ales, it can sometimes be easy to forget about lagers. Rarely do we even encounter an American craft brewery that will include one in their line-up. Those few breweries that have dedicated the time to recreating the seemingly antiquated libation are boldly offering the craft beer drinker a pint of history and daring us to discover depths of flavor we thought confined to the world of ale alone.

A shining example of the flavor laden lager family can be found in The Wright Pils by Great Lakes Brewing Co., a classic Czech Style pils that weighs in with a modest 5.3% alcohol. What I find so endearing about beers like this are that they may be similarly enjoyed by a “light” beer drinker as well as any seasoned aficionado. This is the type of beer that can be casually ignored and enjoyed by the pitcher-full, or dutifully scrutinized and dissected so that not a moment of its blissful flavor escapes one's memory.

The beer pours a brilliant straw golden color and is topped with a lasting head of stark white. Immediately scents of crisp malt and earthen hops jump into the nose. It is a scent as refreshing as a wisp of pine on the wind. Upon first sip the whole of flavors that can be attributed to noble hops are on display. Earth, pine, spice and a mild resinous note shine brilliantly, but not enough to overshadow the layers of malt that provide the “meat” counterpoint to the hop “potatoes.” A mild caramel sweetness is accompanied by a biscuit nuance that coalesces into the perceived notion of light honey. The wheat malt used in brewing the beer provides a sturdy backbone to the lager that leaves the finish medium-dry and utterly refreshing.

On the brewery's website, the beer is given the family status of wildly imaginative thinker. I believe this to be an apt moniker, given the namesake of the beer. The Wright Pils has inspired me to write this review and share my love of beer with all who will listen; how will it inspire you? Pair with wildly fantastic ideas about flying machines, or steak (but wheres the fun in that?).

Monday Musings: B-Dubs Home Brew Commercial

By Steve Siciliano

If you watched any televised sports over the weekend chances are good that you saw the Buffalo Wild Wings commercial that lampoons the hobby of home brewing. Obviously the spot is meant to be humorous and I guess to some folks it probably is, but the portrayal of the home brewer as a mad (inept) scientist offering chunky, disgusting looking concoctions to wary guests sitting in a room full of foam-spewing carboys failed to tickle this writer’s funny bone.

The message I took from this ad is this—why go to your buddies’ house and drink nasty home brews when B-Dubs offers clean, clear, visually appealing beer made by brewing professionals. I can’t remember the last time I went to a Buffalo Wild Wings but the ad certainly isn’t making me want to go.

What are your thoughts on this advertisement? Watch it here, then please leave your response in the comment section below.

New Beer Friday - November 2 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

November is suddenly here and with the upcoming time change, days that were already growing short are about to get shorter. We figure this is a fact you can look on in one of two ways. Either bemoan the loss of daylight or celebrate the added hours you'll have to sit by firelight with a snifter or two of your favorite new beers, a Founders Backwoods Bastard, say, or a even Rodenbach Vintage 2010. When you look at it that way, this weekend's time change doesn't seem hardly so bad.

New (and Returning) Beer

• Bells Christmas Ale, $1.89/12oz - "The basic inspiration for Bell's Christmas Ale was to create a sessionable holiday beer, using locally grown malt, which would stand apart from the array of spiced winter warmers that are typically introduced this time of year. In contrast to many other seasonals, Christmas Ale doesn't contain any spices: all of the dry, toasted notes & subtle toffee flavors come from the 100% Michigan-grown barley, custom malted by Briess Malting, while a blend of hops from Michigan & the Pacific Northwest lend earthy, herbal aromas. At 5.5% ABV, it stands as a smooth, highly drinkable beer intended to complement holiday menus, not overshadow them" (source).
• Bells Winter White, $1.89/2oz - "Taking its cues from Belgian-style white ales, Bell's Winter White Ale offers a lighter yet abundantly flavorful alternative to the traditional heavy winter warmers. Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast, this blend of barley & wheat malts yields a mixture of clove and fruity aromas, all without the use of any spices. Deliberately brewed to retain a cloudy appearance, Bell's Winter White Ale is a beer for embracing winter" (source).
• Rodenbach Vintage 2010, $20.49/750ml - "Matured in cask number 144 for more than two years, resulting in a superior RODENBACH with a copper glow. Its taste is complex and rounded, intense and refreshing all at the same time. It is characterized by an acidic, appley fruitfulness combined with caramel, wild honey and oak with a touch of vanilla, cherry and liquorice" (source).
• Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA, $13.19/22 oz (1 bottle/person) - "Blend two Dogfish Head favorites, add maple syrup and carbonate the mixture naturally. What do you get? 75 Minute IPA. The carbon dioxide trapped during bottle conditioning gives 75 Minute IPA a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Dry-hopped with whole-leaf Cascades, this complex IPA has been known to inspire pilgrimages to our brewpub. Now were sharing this animated blend of 60 Minute and 90 Minute with the rest of our fans, 750 milliliters at a time" (source).
• Founders Backwoods Bastard, $3.29/12oz (4 bottles/person) - "Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice, and a scintilla of dark fruit. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate" (source).
• Magic Hat Heart of Darkness, $1.49/12oz - "Our inky-black, oatmeal stout has a smooth, round palate with a dreamlike undercurrent of bittersweet chocolate. This dense liquid-silk summons hope from hibernation and balances winter’s endless white snows with a rich swirl of creamy black rapture. Available in the Winter, reintroduced in Winter 2012 after a hiatus" (source).
• Big Sky Powder Hound - $1.69/12oz - "Powder Hound is our Winter Ale, and since it is our own creation we call it a Northern Rockies Strong Ale. Powder Hound satisfies, with the fine hand selected British hops fully complimenting the smooth malt notes. After a day on the ice or in the snow, enjoy a Powder Hound Winter Ale. Available November through March. ABV varies from 6.0% to 7.5%" (source).
• Shorts Chocolate Wheat, $1.69/12oz - "Chocolate malt, wheat malt and carefully chosen specialty grains provide deep, black wort balanced with the Nugget and Fuggle hop varieties. Top fermenting ale yeast completes this beer resulting in full flavored, full bodied toasted/burnt chocolate wheat ale" (source).
• Newcastle Winter IPA, $1.49/12oz - "Zesty in character and jam-packed with a creamy finish, the Newcastle Winter IPA is full-bodied and hoppy, delivering unique and authentic malt flavors for the cold season and snowy matchdays" (source).
• Anderson Valley Brother David Double, $8.19/22oz - "Brewed in a cloistered nook of remote Anderson Valley, this handcrafted Belgian-style strong ale may be the closest you’ll ever get to heaven on earth. Made in very limited quantity, it is malty, tangy and a little wild, it is sure to raise your spirits. We suffered to brew this enormously complex beer so that you can enjoy it completely guilt free" (source).
• Anderson Valley Brother David Triple, $8.19/22oz - "The brewers of Anderson Valley had to conjure the High Priestess of Fermentation to help them formulate and create this rare hand-crafted elixer. It is luxuriant, smooth, more that a little wild, and at 10% alcohol, it's bound to raise your spirits. Open the Bottle and greet the High Priestess. You are worthy" (source).
• Rogue Yellow Snow IPA, $17.19/growlers - "Beeston Stout, Chariot Pils, Melanoidin, & Cara Foam Malts, Amarillo Hops. 15.5º PLATO, 70 IBU, 76 AA, 14.2ºL" (source).
• Berghoff Dortwunder Lager, $1.49/12oz - "A classic and evenly balanced pale lager in the Dortmunder tradition" (source).

Question of the Week

This year, what's been your favorite "fall" beer?

(Please leave your answer in the comment section below)

Cheers!